CMAA President/CEO Bruce D’Agostino announces retirement

McLean, Va. — After serving association members and the construction industry for 18 years, Bruce D’Agostino, 67, president/CEO of CMAA, announced plans to retire in 2017 once a successor has been chosen. Vetted Solutions, a Washington, D.C.-based executive search firm, is managing the nationwide search for his replacement.

The industry has seen marked change under D’Agostino’s leadership, with construction management gaining increased notoriety as a profession. The Certified Construction Manager (CCM) certification program has grown from less than 200 certified professionals to more than 3000 and became ANSI accredited in 2007. D’Agostino has worked tirelessly with public and private owners to educate on the value that professional construction management services bring to their projects and this dedication has resulted in owners requiring CCMs to manage their construction projects, which in turn, would provide better control over cost, quality, and schedule.

D’Agostino has helped CMAA to take a leading role in defining the education of aspiring CMs through his work with ABET, the lead society for the accreditation of undergraduate and graduate construction management programs. The Construction Manager in Training (CMIT) program, launched in 2010, provides a structured transition from the academic environment into the workplace and at present, includes more than 2200 CMITs.

During D’Agostino’s tenure, CMAA’s membership base has grown from 700 to more than 16,000 with approximately 25 percent representing owners in market sectors to include government, healthcare, education, power, transportation, commercial, utilities, and transportation.

D’Agostino has also crafted and nurtured growing relationships between CMAA and similar professional organizations representing similar interests in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He was instrumental in forming alliances with both the Construction Industry Institute (CII) and the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME), which led to both organizations formally adopting the CCM as the preferred credential.

“Bruce is leaving behind an extraordinary legacy of success in the industry and his accomplishments have exceeded expectations,” states CMAA’s chair, Stephen Ayers, CCM, FAIA, LEED AP, Architect of the Capitol. “While we are sad to see him go, the momentum he has created will leave a lasting impact and we wish him well now and into the future.”